tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post5073170224705263577..comments2023-08-28T17:10:38.820+08:00Comments on Politics for Breakfast: Transforming the 'Southeast Asian Sea' into a 'Shared Regional Area of Essential Commons' by Rasti DelizoJames Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-23545888601405325642013-05-21T22:15:55.847+08:002013-05-21T22:15:55.847+08:00Many thanks for this inspiring article and discuss...Many thanks for this inspiring article and discussion. Could the international administration of Antarctica provide useful lessons on how to achieve a Shared Reagional Area? <br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty<br /><br />Annette Hug, UP Alumni 1995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-65316067182716550522012-05-21T01:04:48.370+08:002012-05-21T01:04:48.370+08:00It is nice to know that Rasti's article gained...It is nice to know that Rasti's article gained attention and appeared in two popular dailies.<br /><br />----<br /><br />In the Philippines, it came out in the <a href="http://www.inquirer.net/" rel="nofollow">Philippine Daily Inquirer</a>: <br /><br />Commentary<br /><a href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/28811/shared-regional-area" rel="nofollow">Shared regional area</a><br />By: Rasti Delizo<br />Thursday, May 17th, 2012<br /><br />----<br /><br />In Malaysia, it came out in <a href="http://thestar.com.my/" rel="nofollow">The Star</a>: <br /><br />Sunday May 20, 2012<br /><a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2012%2F5%2F20%2Fasia%2F11312135&sec=asia" rel="nofollow">Claiming the South China Sea</a><br />By RASTI DELIZOJames Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-14684639428783407792012-05-16T07:11:17.025+08:002012-05-16T07:11:17.025+08:00A similar idea was proposed by Atty. Tony Oposa th...A similar idea was proposed by Atty. Tony Oposa through an <a href="http://opinion.inquirer.net/28587/open-letter-to-aquino" rel="nofollow">LTTE in the Inquirer</a>. See an excerpt below:<br />--------------------<br /><br /><i>Commentary</i><br /><b>Open letter to Aquino</b><br />By: Antonio A. Oposa Jr.<br />Philippine Daily Inquirer<br />Saturday, May 12, 2012<br /><br />I respectfully write to you, Mr. President, as a Filipino frustrated that a certain neighbor has been acting like a bully, with us on the receiving end... But may I suggest that instead of fighting over the pieces of land that make up the Spratly Islands, the dimension of the debate be changed. It’s small thinking to quarrel over a few pieces of rock in the middle of a big sea in the hope of finding oil to take out and use up for the present needs of a single country...<br /><br />My respectful suggestion: that the Philippines initiate a move to <b>declare the entire Spratly Islands and the West Philippine Sea (aka the South China Sea) an international marine reserve and nature park</b>. By doing that, we will not directly antagonize any of the other countries claiming the parts of or the whole Spratlys. The Philippines will take the moral high road... Rather than fight with the other claimant-countries in competition to use resources for the present, we will bring the countries together in cooperation to reserve resources for the future.<br /><br />The other claimant-countries may well resist the initiative. That is expected and is most welcome because it will spark a worldwide debate. It will show the world how beautiful is the prospect of having an international marine park for peace. Resistance from the other claimant-countries will not look good on the pages of history.<br /><br />...The Spratlys can even be an international observation center for the adverse effects of global warming on coral reefs and marine life... We can propose the establishment of an International Marine Station... There is no limit to the benefits of cooperation when people understand that no one really owns anything, and that we are all just passing through.<br /><br />This move to protect marine life is especially significant because the initiative will be undertaken by the Philippines, which is known as “the center of the center of marine biodiversity on Earth.” Precisely because our seas are the most gifted, we have the credibility to advocate their conservation...<br /><br />“The coastal State, taking into account the best scientific evidence available to it, shall ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of the living resources in the exclusive economic zone is not endangered by over-exploitation. As appropriate, the coastal State and competent international organizations, whether subregional, regional or global, shall cooperate to this end.” (Art 61, UNCLOS).<br /><br />...For a start, Mr. President, you can issue a presidential proclamation declaring the areas of the Spratly Islands and the surrounding seas claimed by the Philippines as a nationally protected area and marine reserve...This initiative will show the seriousness of purpose of the Philippines in their desire for peace and for the protection of marine life for the benefit of future generations.<br /><br />After having done this, or simultaneously with the declaration of our claimed islands and surrounding seas as a protected area, we can begin the international campaign to have it declared an International Marine Reserve and a UN World Heritage Site.<br /><br />...Whether we achieve that or not in your term or in your and our lifetimes, we shall have started the process of mobilizing the world community to view the problem of the Spratlys as an opportunity. For it is an opportunity, not for intense competition for more resources for the present, but for friendly cooperation for the benefit of future generations. It will be “Spratly Islands Fish Bank.”...<br /><br /><i>Antonio A. Oposa Jr., lawyer and environmental activist, is a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2009. He is the pioneer in the practice of environmental law in the Philippines.</i>James Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-42786802559342405992012-05-07T22:26:40.208+08:002012-05-07T22:26:40.208+08:00Comment from Robin Lucas, champion debater and for...Comment from <a href="http://professionalkibitzer.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Robin Lucas</a>, champion debater and former Vice President of the <a href="http://www.minimalgovernment.net/" rel="nofollow">Minimal Government Movement</a>:<br /><br /><i>JJ is correct in pointing out how vague the post was in how it would achieve its goals, and I would like to add that I completely disagree with the idea that it should be "shared" in the sense that a certain area can be exploited by everyone. No one's going to be happy about it and it would only lead to governments muscling in as quickly as possible to grab as many rocks in the sea as possible. Better to delineate the lines where governments would have exclusive jurisdiction.<br /><br />Additionally, China and Taiwan ought to be expelled from any arrangement like that. After all, if we validate their "historical claim" on one rock, it stands to reason that the "historical claim" is valid on principle and trumps current international law, but also it would give them an equal claim over all the other rocks in the area. After all, the basis for their claim is different from the claim of other nations (except perhaps for Vietnam). Their basis does not allow for compromise or sharing, and recognizing the basis of their claim would seriously disrupt the process of resolving territorial disputes. By that definition, Italy can lay claim to all of Europe west of the Rhine and China can lay claim to all of Asia. Heck, Mongolia can lay claim to a landmass from the Kamchatka to Hungary and from the North Pole to the Indian Ocean.<br /><br />Ultimately, the proposal sounds nice, but it won't go anywhere, and actually making it work is more trouble than it's worth.</i>James Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-23578952927985577182012-05-07T22:19:48.215+08:002012-05-07T22:19:48.215+08:00Comment from JJ Domingo, a student of internationa...Comment from <a href="http://thenutbox.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow">JJ Domingo</a>, a student of international relations and currently an intern on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Management_Staff_(Philippines)" rel="nofollow">Presidential Management Staff</a>:<br /><br /><i>I get the idea, but the post is quite vague on the details. How would the sharing mechanism be determined? Would China be a party to the sharing arrangement? If it is, then I'm afraid it would be able to take the bigger slice in the pie, so to speak. Also, I believe that this shared commons must not include areas that are well within the Philippine continental shelf like the Recto Bank. It must only apply to the areas that are disputed, and not to those that aren't.</i>James Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-11832824822360504512012-05-07T22:11:55.996+08:002012-05-07T22:11:55.996+08:00Facebook Comment from Sonny Melencio, Chairperson ...Facebook Comment from Sonny Melencio, Chairperson of the <a href="masa.ph" rel="nofollow">Partido Lakas ng Masa</a>:<br /><br /><i>This is a well-thought out proposal on how Asian countries should deal with the conflicting claims on the islands, shoals and reefs surrounding South China Sea. It is also the most peaceful solution I’ve read so far. Other alternative involves war and escalation of military conflicts! Or opening up of undue intervention of non-Asian, non-claimant imperialist countries such as the United States. Of course the processes have to still be sorted out. The proposal serves as a guide to solve the conflict in a peaceful and equitable manner. Kudos, Rasti.</i>James Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623650882796636418.post-86669947329139562452012-05-07T22:09:13.302+08:002012-05-07T22:09:13.302+08:00Comment from Prof. Eduardo Tadem (who I hailed in ...Comment from Prof. Eduardo Tadem (who I hailed in my <a href="http://politicsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-indonesia-outperforms-rp-prof-ed.html" rel="nofollow">post on Philippine and Indonesian development</a>) from the <a href="fdc.ph" rel="nofollow">FDC</a> yahoo groups:<br /><br /><i>At last, a progressive, pro-people and non-chauvinist alternative solution to the South China Sea conflict. A refreshing take on the issue in contrast to the saber-rattling, ultra-patriotic, and jingoistic stance taken by the Manila state, business and landed groups, political parties, the military and almost all civil society and Left groups. <br /><br />Good work, Rasti! Needs a lot of fine-tuning but definitely a step in the right direction. <br /><br />-- <br />Eduardo Climaco Tadem, Ph.D.<br />Professor of <a href="http://ac.upd.edu.ph/" rel="nofollow">Asian Studies</a><br />University of the Philippines Diliman<br />1101 Quezon City, Philippines<br />Tel/Fax: +6329270909<br />Email: ectadem@gmail.com<br /></i>James Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13692885462172351019noreply@blogger.com